Shiranami Chihiro

Ryuuen was still wandering around Class B's campsite. Although Kanzaki Ryuuji wanted to drive him away, Ichinose's earlier attitude made him hesitate. Personal feelings should not affect one's judgment of the class's interests. Ichinose and Ryuuen had surely reached some kind of deal, which meant Ryuuen was very likely an ally now. Thus, Kanzaki Ryuuji did not rashly try to chase him off.

The other students in the class had neither seen Ichinose reject Ryuuen nor seen Kanzaki Ryuuji drive him away, so naturally, none of them stepped forward. Besides, Ryuuen was only watching and had not done anything destructive, so no one in Class B bothered with him.

Ryuuen was not merely observing Class B's campsite. He was also looking for someone: Shiranami Chihiro.

Student number S01T004744, member of the art club. She had a somewhat timid personality, but her words and behavior were composed and graceful, with a gentle demeanor. One of Ichinose's close friends, she liked the fellow female Ichinose Honami and had once confessed to her.

The interviewer's evaluation of her was: Composed and graceful in speech and conduct, with a likable gentle attitude. She had good coordination, and her grades were average, but her low Physical Ability and timid nature needed improvement.

School evaluation: Academic Ability C, Intelligence C, Judgment D, Physical Ability D-, Teamwork C+.

Ordinary, unremarkable stats. The reason Ryuuen remembered her information so clearly was because she had been Class B's leader in this exam. In the original story, it had been her. Whether that had changed now was something Ryuuen needed to confirm.

With short brown hair and deep blue eyes, Shiranami Chihiro was not difficult to find. After making one round of the camp, Ryuuen spotted her carrying a handful of washed wild berries toward Kobashi Yume, one of Honami's close friends with light blue hair.

But Ryuuen cut her off first.

Ryuuen stood in front of Shiranami Chihiro. When she stepped left, he stepped right. When she stepped right, he stepped left. When she backed away, he moved forward.

Timid by nature, Shiranami turned her gaze toward Kobashi Yume. Kobashi Yume knew she was no match for Ryuuen, but she still stood in front of Shiranami. "Ryuuen-sensei, using violence against another class will get you disqualified from the exam."

"I wasn't planning to use violence." Ryuuen spread his hands. "I just wanted to have a chat with Shiranami Chihiro."

Ryuuen's words only made the two girls before him more wary. It was no surprise that they knew Ryuuen, since he was famous throughout the school, but how did Ryuuen know Shiranami Chihiro? He had called her name so casually.

He had definitely planned this for a long time. The two girls had no choice but to stay on guard against Ryuuen.

"Come chat with me, Shiranami." Ryuuen bypassed Kobashi Yume and addressed Shiranami directly.

Seeing Shiranami take several steps back, Ryuuen added, "I just want to talk about Ichinose. You won't refuse me, will you?"

At the mention of Ichinose's name, both girls hesitated. They were both Ichinose's good friends and had no idea what Ryuuen wanted, but rejecting him now might lead to consequences for Ichinose. They were both worried.

In the end, Shiranami Chihiro nodded. It seemed her concern for Ichinose had overcome her fear of Ryuuen.

Ryuuen took Shiranami Chihiro behind a tree. Kobashi Yume wanted to follow, but Ryuuen drove her away. She could only watch the two from afar, unable to hear what they were saying.

"Ryuuen-sensei, what did you want to discuss?" Shiranami asked directly. She clearly wanted to know about Ichinose as soon as possible.

"I wonder if you've noticed, Shiranami. Ichinose is in love." Leaning against the tree, Ryuuen reached out and snatched a washed red wild berry from Shiranami's hand. He recognized it: Southern Schisandra, a medicinal herb. Its common name was lengfantuan, and it was also known as little blood vine, wind-sand vine, and red woody incense. Its ripe fruit could be eaten directly. Ryuuen would not have eaten it if he had not been certain it was not poisonous.

"Impossible! I've always been watching her. Honami doesn't like any boys at all." Shiranami Chihiro became somewhat agitated.

"How is that impossible? Ichinose rejected your confession because she already has someone she likes."

Shiranami Chihiro instantly blushed. "I never confessed to Honami! Ryuuen-sensei, don't spread rumors!"

Now it was Ryuuen's turn to think. Shiranami Chihiro had not confessed yet. Class B had not been involved in the earlier Sudo Incident, either. Did that mean Ichinose and Ayanokoji had not yet formed any connection?

That question still needed to be verified, but the fact that Shiranami Chihiro had not confessed was good news for Ryuuen.

"Hahaha, I was joking. But Shiranami, your feelings for Ichinose are no joke. This kind of liking is not ordinary liking." Ryuuen grabbed Shiranami Chihiro's hand. "If Ichinose finds out you harbor such thoughts toward her, think about it. Ichinose would definitely hate you, wouldn't she? Or perhaps not. She's such a gentle person. She probably wouldn't say it out loud, but she'd gradually distance herself from you. Don't you think so, Shiranami?"

The wild berries in Shiranami Chihiro's hand scattered across the ground. She tried to struggle free from Ryuuen's grasp, but she lacked the strength. Her mind was not even on her hand. "No! Honami won't hate me! She won't distance herself from me!"

The girl before him spoke through sobs. At the thought that Ichinose might hate her, she seemed to fall apart completely.

At that moment, Ryuuen hugged Shiranami and whispered softly into her ear, "I have a way for you and Ichinose to stay together forever."

Shiranami's tears stopped, and there was even a trace of expectation in her eyes.

Though Ryuuen's proposal was tempting, Shiranami was not stupid. She figured out what he wanted. "I won't help you do anything that harms the class's interests. Give it up."

"It seems your love for Ichinose is pretty shallow. It crumbles at the first blow. Or perhaps you simply don't love her that much."

Ryuuen did not use the word "like." Instead, he used "love," a word that better conveyed the depth of emotion. He believed that an emotional girl like Shiranami would not allow anyone to look down on her love for Ichinose. As long as his words angered her, once emotion took control of her mind, that would be when Ryuuen dragged her into the mud.

Timid as Shiranami was, hearing Ryuuen's words made her so angry that she tried to stomp on his foot, but Ryuuen dodged.

"Between the class and Ichinose, you chose the class. At best, you'll graduate from Class A, then go your separate ways and never see each other again. Or you'll watch Ichinose throw herself into someone else's arms, get married, and have children." Ryuuen spoke each word slowly, every one of them striking Shiranami's heart.

"If you truly love her that much, how can you trust someone else with her? What if she meets a scumbag? What if her boyfriend makes her suffer? What if she isn't happy after getting married?" Ryuuen's words were like Satan's whispers, luring the girl step by step toward the abyss.

Shiranami was about to cry again. This was the result Ryuuen wanted. All he needed was to add one final log to the fire.

"You only need to obey me. What you lose will only be a group of utterly ordinary classmates. What you gain will be a whole Ichinose, as well as Ichinose's love. You don't want to share Ichinose with anyone else, do you? Obey me, and I can make it happen." Ryuuen held Shiranami tightly. The rhythm of her heartbeat told him that she had already been tempted.

"What do you need me to do?"

Everyone was selfish. Sometimes, a person's descent into darkness took only an instant. The darkness in Shiranami Chihiro's heart was far greater than Ryuuen had imagined. What had allowed the once-timid Shiranami to become so brave? Her twisted love for Ichinose.

Ryuuen was merely the guide.